Let this house be built unto my name, that I may reveal mine ordinances therein unto my people (D&C 124:40).

Have you ever been excited for a special day? Maybe it was your birthday or a vacation. Seven-year-old Adair was excited for a special day. Her family set a date to go to the temple one year from the time of their baptism.

Adair’s family held a special family home evening. Her dad and mom explained how important it was for everyone to prepare to go to the temple. They made a list of the things they could do: pray individually and as a family, read the scriptures, pay tithing, keep the commandments, and follow the prophet.

Adair’s mother gave her a picture of the temple and wrote Adair’s name and the date that her family would be going to the temple underneath. Every day Adair tried her best to prepare for when her family would be sealed in the temple. Adair felt good inside as she realized that each day she prepared to receive the blessings of the temple was a special day. She felt a surge of excitement as the special day came. Being sealed as a family was a blessing Heavenly Father gave them that brought them closer to Him and to each other.

Families can be together forever through making and keeping temple covenants and ordinances. The prophets have encouraged each of us to prepare to go to the temple. You can prepare to go to the temple with your family. You can also prepare to go at age 12 to do baptisms for the dead or to go when you are an adult—perhaps when you receive a mission call or before you are married.

Great blessings come from going to the temple. As you prepare now to receive the blessings of the temple, each day will be a special day!

Sharing Time Ideas

1. To help children understand that being baptized and keeping their baptismal covenants helps them prepare to receive the blessings of the temple, make road signs using these words: Stop, Caution, One Way, Yield, Go. For each sign write one of My Gospel Standards on paper and cut into wordstrips. Put each standard in an envelope and paste one to the back of each sign. Post the road signs and a picture of the temple in the front of the room. Make a traffic light with red, yellow, and green circles. Write out 2 Ne. 31:17–18 on a strip of paper and paste on the other side of the traffic light.

Hold up the traffic light and read the scripture. When we are baptized, we open the gate to the path back to Heavenly Father. We must be baptized to go to the temple and to enter the celestial kingdom. After baptism we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, which will help us choose the right. Turn the sign around. My Gospel Standards are like road signs on our path. In making choices we can (point to red circle) stop and remember Heavenly Father’s plan for us, (yellow circle) slow down and remember our baptismal covenants, and (green circle) go and listen to the Holy Ghost.

Divide the Primary into five groups. Have each group choose two helpers. Blindfold one of the helpers from each group and have him or her stand at the back of the room. After they are blindfolded, have the other helpers stand by one of the road signs. In a soft reverent voice, they should direct their blindfolded partner to their road sign. After they reach the sign, have the group put together their My Gospel Standard wordstrip in order, and prepare to act out for the Primary one way they can live their standard. Have each group hold their sign backwards and take a turn acting while the Primary guesses the standard. They then turn their sign around and explain how their standard can help us to be temple worthy.

Using two helpers, have one stand outside the Primary room while another hides the first puzzle piece. Have the first helper come back in and look for the puzzle piece as the Primary gives clues by singing the suggested song more loudly as the helper gets closer to the puzzle piece and more softly as he or she moves farther away. Post the puzzle piece on the board. Read the scripture references and discuss the ordinance. Choose more children to repeat the process. Have the children repeat D&C 124:40. Bear testimony of the importance of temple ordinances.

3. Prepare the room by displaying a picture of the temple and the following statement: “The spirit and blessings of the temple can fill our homes as we live worthy lives. Even before we are old enough to go to the temple, we can prepare our hearts by being obedient and choosing the right” (“Temple Blessings,” Friend, Aug. 2001). Teach the children about obedience by playing a game called “Being Obedient: Then and Now.” Prepare five items that represent challenges to obedience during pioneer times, or “then” (for example, a stick = steep rough hillsides, blue fabric = rivers to cross, rock = rocky trails to walk, picture of a sun = hot days and cold nights, picture of a wagon wheel = wagon wheels to constantly repair). Make up five case studies of “now” challenges (for example: Your best friend invites you to go to a movie on Sunday. What commandment would help you choose the right?) (See TNGC,pp. 161–62.) Inside five numbered sacks, place a “then” item, a “now” case study, and the name of a song about obedience.

Though the pioneers had difficulties, they followed Brigham Young and were obedient in keeping the commandments. Read the statement about the temple above. As the children sing “Keep the Commandments” (pp. 146–47), have them listen for (1) the words of a prophet (keep the commandments) and (2) the blessings of obedience (safety and peace).

Hand out the sacks to the children. Choose a child to stand up front and give two or three instructions for the Primary to pass the sacks (for example, pass it three people to the right, pass it forward once). He or she then calls out a number from 1 to 5. The person holding that sack opens it and guesses what challenge the “then” item might represent for the pioneers. He or she then reads and answers the “now” challenge. Sing the song that goes with the sack and have the children listen for the commandment(s) to follow and the blessing(s) that will be theirs. Choose a new child to be a leader and repeat for each sack. Remind the children that we have challenges in our lives today, but we can become temple worthy as we follow the prophet and keep the commandments.

4. Teach the children the importance of family history and temple work by drawing a pedigree chart on the board with spaces to fill in three generations (child, parents, and grandparents). Prepare signs with different family traits or characteristics (mother’s smile, father’s musical talent, etc.).

Sing “Families Can Be Together Forever” (p. 188). Read Abr. 1:31. Invite a child to write his name on the “child” line. Give him a sign and comment how his trait is like his “mother” or “father.” Sing “I Am a Child of God” (pp. 2–3). Invite two more children to represent a father and mother, and write their first names on the father and mother line. Give them a sign, then comment on how their traits are similar to one or both of their “parents.” Sing “A Happy Family” (p. 198). Invite four more children to represent two sets of grandparents and ask them to write their first names on the grandparents’ lines. Comment on how their traits are similar to those of one of their family members, and give each a sign. Have all seven family members turn their backs to the Primary. As you sing “Family History—I Am Doing It” (p. 94), tap a family member on the shoulder, which is their cue to turn around. When they are facing the Primary, have those children who have a family characteristic or trait like their sign join in singing. Remind the children that through temple ordinances our families can be together forever. Invite them to ask their parents about their family history.

To review songs for this year’s children’s sacrament meeting presentation, make several large keys (at least one for each song to be reviewed). Write the names of the songs to be reviewed on the keys.

Invite a child to choose a key and ask him to wait outside the Primary room. Have the Primary help you choose a keyword from the song chosen. This will be the word they will not sing in the song. Write the word on the blank side of the key. Invite the child to come back in. Hold the keyword above the child’s head as a reminder to the others of which word not to sing. As the Primary sings, ask the child to listen for the keyword that is missing. Let the child guess which word is missing. Review the gospel principle in the song. Repeat for the other songs to be reviewed.

Father’s Day Stop Sign

Instructions

Mount pages 30 and 31 on poster board or cardboard. Cut out the stop sign and the Father’s Day card. Glue, or have an older person staple, a paint-stirring stick or dowel to the back of the stop sign, as shown in illustration 1.

Instructions: Color the figures, and mount them on heavy paper; then cut out the figures and glue pieces of flannel on the backs. Read the scriptures listed, then retell the Book of Mormon story using the figures.

Instructions:Color the figures, and mount them on heavy paper; then cut out the figures and glue pieces of flannel on the backs. Read the scriptures listed, then retell the Book of Mormon story using the figures.

In an October general conference, Sister Grassli, the Primary General President, reported: “Nine-year-old Matt spoke in church about something he had learned from the scriptures that brought him peace. He said, ‘When my father told our family that we would be moving from Denver to Wisconsin, my mother reminded us of Lehi’s family. Like them, I was leaving the only home I had known, all my friends, my school, my ward. Luckily we were able to bring all our possessions with us, though they were in storage for three months, and we missed having a house and our “precious things.”

“ ‘My mother reminded us of how Nephi accepted this challenge—willingly—knowing that the Lord would “prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them” (See 1 Ne. 3:7.)

“ ‘I have learned that I can do without things, but not without my family. My brotheres and sisters and I have tried to be more like Nephi than his complaining brothers. I am grateful for the things that the Book of Mormon teaches us.’ ” (Ensign, November 1988, page 79.)

Matt was comforted by the story of Lehi’s family from the Book of Mormon. As you read or listen to stories from the scriptures, which of the stories bring you peace?

I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live (John 11:25).

Knowing that the end of His life was near, Jesus Christ led His Apostles to the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives. He told them, “Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder” (Matt. 26:36). Then, after He left them and kneeled to pray, He suffered great pain for our sins. The pain was so great that He pleaded, “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

“And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

“And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” (Luke 22:42–44.)

Later that night, one of the Savior’s Apostles, Judas, betrayed Him by leading a group of His enemies to Him. Jesus was arrested, unfairly tried, and nailed to a cross. (See John 18:3–5; John 19:1–18.)

After hanging on the cross for six hours and enduring intense pain, the Savior said, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46). Then He bowed His head and died.

Jesus Christ’s body was taken to a borrowed tomb, where it was wrapped in white linens and tenderly laid inside. A large stone was rolled in front of the entrance, and soldiers were ordered to stand guard. For two days His body lay in the tomb, and the soldiers kept watch. (See Matt. 27:57–66.)

Then before the morning sun of the third day, “there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door. …

“And for fear of him the keepers [guards] did shake, and became as dead men.” (Matt. 28:2, 4.)

When Mary Magdalene and Mary came to visit the tomb that morning, the angel “said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.

“He is not here: for he is risen.” (Matt. 28:5–6.) The Savior was not there because He had been resurrected and He was about His Father’s business.

Heavenly Father sent His Son Jesus Christ to earth to save us from our sins. If we repent of what we have done wrong, we will be forgiven because of the atoning sacrifice of the Savior. And, like the Savior, we will all be resurrected someday.

(Note: These pages are to be added to the “My Story of Jesus” book, Friend, March 1999, pages 18 and 19.)

Instructions: Carefully remove pages 28 and 29 from the magazine and mount (glue) them on lightweight cardboard. Cut out each booklet page, and punch the holes where indicated. (Optional: cover with clear, self-sticking paper, or put into plastic sandwich bags.) Put the pages in order, then add them to the back of the book you started last month. Use this book to tell the story of Jesus Christ to yourself, to your family, or to help you remember Him during the passing of the sacrament.

Illustrated by Jerry Harston

8 At the Last Supper, Jesus administered (blessed) the sacrament.

9 In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, “Thy will be done.”

10 Jesus was crucified.

11 Jesus was buried in a tomb.

12 But on the third day He arose!

13 After His resurrection, Jesus visited with many people.

14 Did Jesus really live again after He had died? Oh, yes! And because He did, so shall we!

15 Jesus has asked that I remember Him and keep His commandments. I can do that for Him.